Adjustable tolerance gauge



Jan. 5, 1954 c. DENNY 2,664,639

ADJUSTABLE TOLERANCE GAUGE Filed Oct. 8, 1951 Patented Jan. 5, 17954 UNITED STATES-` This invention is a Vernier height gage.

In machine-shop mass production of work pieces or structural part production it is the practice to subject each piece or part, in process, to a manual checking step or as it is called the go or no go test as to whether a piece is over prescribed maximum dimension or is under the prescribed tolerance limit.

It is therefore the cardinal purpose of this invention to provide a simple, practical, substantial, low cost and easily manipulated Vernier height gage device providing features adjustable as toa bed plane surface, to prescribe the given maximum dimension in one direction (height) of the piece to be tested and to prescribe the tolerance minus dimension of the height of the piece.

Particularly an intent of the invention is to provide a height gage tolerance height arm and a maximum dimension shoeadjustably mounted on the said arm for instant adjustment to its desired position after the effective piece-contacting face of the arm has been set at a height, as to the bed surface, which allows for the tolerance dimension below the maximum given for an element or piece being test calibrated. In this connection, an object is to provide means connecting the shoe to the arm and operative to automatically retract the shoe when it is free on the arm to an idle position and permitting easy manual shift and set of the shoe to maximum.

height indicating position.

The invention resides in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and has, with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafter developed and whose constructions, combinations and sub-combinations and details of construction and manner of operation, and functions, will be made manifest in the following description of the herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications, Variations, adaptations and equivalents may be resorted to within the scope, spirit and principles of the invention as it is claimed in conclusion hereof.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gage as in use on a bed or table, plane surface for height of piece test.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are side and end views, respectively, of a modification.

The disclosure concerns that type of vernier gage having a base 2 to be lodged on a plane surface S of any appropriate supporting structure and which base has a vertical column 3 along 6 Claims. (Cl. 33--169) TENT i OFFICE 2 which is vertically adjustable a slide d to be set at a desired calibration in a height measurement range.

For the purpose of this invention there is provided a stiff arm 5 having a plane bottom edge or face 5f to be lodged on a lateral bracket part 4b of the slide and be fastened thereto by set screw clamp 5 to secure the arm in useful horizontal position ready for piece test of pieces on the sur- 'face S.

In use of the arm its contact face 5f is adjusted above the surface S to a Vernier height indicative of the minimum tolerance or go limit of a given piece P on the surface S for instance the face 5f is set at 2.980" for a tolerance of .020 on a 3 maximum piece.

A maximum dimension gage shoe I0, having a bottom contact face Illf which is plane and horizontal, is slidably mounted on the outer end of the arm 5 and this is provided with an upwardly and outwardly inclined face 5i against which vslides a complementary face If of the shoe which here is of an acute triangular form in side elevation with its apex toward the arm face 5f. The

vshoe may be mounted and fixed on the arm for desired adjustment in any desired or appropriate manner.

In this disclosure the shoe is rigidly combined with a saddle il which overhangs an upwardly bent part 5b of the arm and has a set screw I2 whereby to clinch the shoe snugly against its guide face 5i. Preferably a wear taking shim I3 is interposed between the screw and the shoe to avoid objectionable scoring of the shoe at area of contact under the screw.

The shoe is automatically shifted inward on the arm when loosened from the screw by tension of a spring I3 which is connected to the arm and to the shim l2, for example.

For test of a 3 piece the shoe is set on the arm so as to be that distance from the surface S and the arm is set at 2.980. Pieces are rapidly, successfully processed at the previously set gage arm and shoe by merely lodging each piece on the surface S and under the shoe. Pieces that are too high to get under the shoe and pieces that pass under the arm are rejects as not coming within the clearance tolerance of .020".

A facile manner of setting the shoe back (outward) on the arm is to rest the arm face 5f on the surface S and then to slide the shoe down onto a thickness gage blade of the desired clear tolerance factor.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 includes a bar 5m having an inclined, T-section guide channel 5c in its outer end and in this channel there is slidably guided a triangular shoe IIJm having a T-section head Ih complementary to said T-channel. The bottom plane face of the shoe Im is adapted to be shifted outwardly and outwardly along the bar 5m to a given tolerance distance back from and parallel to the plane bottom face of the bar 5m. The operational function of this form of the gage arm device is the same as with Figs.,.1 and 2. Thev Aprinciple is the same but the embodiment is an adaptation different from the device of Fig. 1.

To facilitate assembly of the shim I3 in the saddle II a nut bar I4 is interposed between it and the top wall of the saddle and the screw I2 threads into the bar I4 and engages theshim.

Figure 5 shows an embodiment ,in `which `the shoe IIJm has an L-branch I resting against a right angle limb of the bar 5x; the shoe 1being readily adjustable to shift its plane bottom face to a-desired outwardposition with respect ,to .the plane bottom face of the .bar 5x for ,altolerance clearance test of work or other pieces.

It is understood that :the disclosed principle of construction and function .Tis-capable 4of use -in combination with various Vadillstable tolerance gages.

Whatis claimed'is:v

1. A -vernier yheight gagezcomprising, ,in combination: a column, a reach arm extendingfhori.- zontally from a sideof the gag-,e columnand having at an angle to its bottom V.face an upwardly directed guide ac,e,: a gageishoe slidably-ttedand bearing on said face', and means for rigidly ,fixing the shoe at adesiredposition Vof adjustment along the guide face; the bottom ofthefshoe .constituting a horizontal Work orlpiececontact plane and theexposedportionof said guide face oonstituting a stop shoulderA for givenworkpieces, being inspected, passable .under the said shoe bottom if-said pieces are within agiven tolerance as determined yby a setting .of `said shoe rback iromthe bottom face ofsad-arm.

2. The` gage` of claim l; .-said ...means ,including a .saddle mounted .011 land islidable :along theA arm .and-having-.a :setsorew for fixing-.theadjusted shoe.

The gage ofl claim. 2, and` meansy ,connecting the VsaddleA tothe armand automatically pulling the loosened shoei inoneV directionv onthgarrn.

4 4. 'I'he gage of claim 1, and spring means cori-y necting the shoe to the arm for automatically shifting the loosened shoe in one direction.

5. A Vernier gage arm having an upwardly directed end and guide face portion and a height dimension shoe slidable and xable along said portion and bearing on its said face and having a plane, bottom gaging face; said arm having a plane bottom with respect to which the .said face -.0f :thefshoe .is recedably adjustable to various positions indicative of tolerance dimensions of pieces which are to be size tested by the gage; the exposed portion of the guide face .constitutnga VStop shoulder for Work pieces within the tolerance limit; said portion consisting tof an upwardly .bent part of the arm, and a saddle riding on said part and to which the shoe is rigidlyiixed, and a holding device on the saddle iQr :retaining the saddle and the shoe at a desired tolerance adjustment on the arm.

6. A reach arm and ,a Vcolumn ,on which i-t is vertically adjustable, for a Vernier height gage, saidarm havinga plane bottom `face ata right angle ,to said column and a shoe part slidably ,mounted onsaid armandhaving a plane bottom `face parallel to and .adjustable toward or from the plane of `the bottom face of said arm to a given piece size tolerance measurement so that a given piece oversize in dimension will-not pass under the adjustedshoe and, if undersize, ,will pass lunder .said arm, and means yto ailx the tolerance adjustedshoe on the arm, one end face of the arm ,constituting a stop shoulder for work pieces Within the,tolerance;,said arm having an upwardly .inclined face part which is channeled and said shoe-slidably fitting in the channel.

CALEB DENNY.

References Cited iinthe le of this patent UNITED `STAEES PATENTS Number 'Na-me Date Y1,433,559 iLowenstein Oct.'31, 1922 232421,116 Donaway June 5, -1940 233513,886 v-FindleyV etal July 18, 1944 2537.704 vReinhart; Jan. 9,'1951 FOREIGN PATENTS :Number Country lDate floh- Germany Nov. 30, 1897 

